


Wounded

by Heulo



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Oneshot, Whiterose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 16:12:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17922116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heulo/pseuds/Heulo
Summary: Ruby was on the ground, hunched over in a crimson pool of her own blood. The scream that came from her tore her own throat and sounded so unnatural that she almost thought it was someone elses. Both of her hands covered her right eye and they did nothing to stop the steady stream that poured from the wound. Tyrian stood over her, his eyes full of glee as he arched his back and began to laugh manically at his achievement. The wrist blades on his left arm were covered in the poor girl’s blood from when he had slashed her. Stilling his laughter for just a moment, he raised the weapon to his mouth and licked across the metal’s surface, humming in delight at the taste.





	Wounded

(DISCLAIMER: Mentions of blood and violence.)

 

It was the blood-curdling scream that captured the attention of everyone in the battlefield, all heads turning to its source. There were mixed expressions from everyone present. Some horrified, others pleased with what was done and a few who looked as if they couldn’t care less, wishing to get back to the fight with their own opponent.

 

Ruby was on the ground, hunched over in a crimson pool of her own blood. The scream that came from her tore her own throat and sounded so unnatural that she almost thought it was someone elses. Both of her hands covered her right eye and they did nothing to stop the steady stream that poured from the wound. Tyrian stood over her, his eyes full of glee as he arched his back and began to laugh manically at his achievement. The wrist blades on his left arm were covered in the poor girl’s blood from when he had slashed her. Stilling his laughter for just a moment, he raised the weapon to his mouth and licked across the metal’s surface, humming in delight at the taste.

 

The first to react was Weiss, who let out an enraged cry. A large glyph appeared by her side and her White Knight summon breached reality, taking form upon her emotions and charged with her as she came at Tyrian. He barely had enough time to process what was happening before a large fist swung into him, his aura doing nothing to prevent his rib cage from shattering as he was thrown through the air. Weiss didn’t even bother to look as his body crumpled to the ground, allowing her summon to follow suit to finish him off and assist the rest of her allies in their current battles that had resumed.

 

Directing her attention to Ruby, she immediately stabbed Myrtenaster into the earth, ice shooting up from the ground and encasing them both, protecting them from anymore potential threats. Yang and Blake would have to put their trust in their teammate as they continued with their current battles, directing the enemy away from the temporary ice case.

 

Sobs racked Ruby’s entire body, pain like no other consuming her head. Her aura, depleted, could do nothing to aid the injury. It felt like someone had smashed her head against a jagged rock and she wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and fade away from the world. She barely heard Weiss calling her name over the ringing in her ears and the blood in both of her eyes prevented her from seeing anything. Her jumbled thoughts only came into focus when soft hands touched her own. The gesture was supposed to bring calmness, but instead initiated a silent panic as she pulled back away from her partner, fearing that she would take her hands away. She didn’t want to face anymore hurt as she knew that if Weiss saw what was done, her own worries would be confirmed.

 

She didn’t want to hear that her eye was gone.

 

“Ruby.” Weiss’ voice pushed through the ringing and echoed in her head. “Ruby, let me see.”

 

“No...” Ruby uttered meekly. Her throat felt tight.

 

She couldn’t see, but she could sense Weiss shuffle closer to her. “You need to let me help you.”

 

“I... I don’t want... it to be... gone.” Ruby managed to choke out. She could sense Weiss’ hesitation as the understanding of her friend’s words set in.

 

She didn’t reply vocally, instead resting a hand on Ruby’s chest and applying pressure. Ruby was about to pull away again but was held in place when another hand came under her hood and pressed into her back. She heard a soft grunt from Weiss and Ruby gasped when she felt the ex-heiress’ aura spread across her chest and throughout her entire body. This method was not like Jaune’s semblance, where it could amplify another’s aura, but rather it was like sharing. It was mainly used in the event if someone else’s was completely depleted.

 

Ruby felt a small amount of relief as the pain in her head subsided and she heard Weiss talking to her again, slightly breathless and her tone sympathetic. “Ruby I need you to move your hands. I know you’re not going to like this, but we need to see the extent of the damage.”

 

“I...” Ruby could only say before her voice failed her. She didn’t trust herself to speak anymore and instead resorted to shaking her head.

 

“Hey, hey.” Weiss’ hand came to the left side of Ruby’s head to stop her shaking. She pulled up her sleeve to wipe away the blood from Ruby’s uninjured eye, offering a soft smile when she saw the familiar flash of silver when it cracked open. Her hand then cupped her partner’s cheek, tilting her head so that she was looking at her. Her thumb brushed away the tears that proceeded to fall. “I’m here for you, it’s going to be okay.”

 

A whimper escaped from Ruby’s lips and she managed a nod, reassured by her partner’s words. She watched with blurred vision as Weiss’ hands reached for her own once again. She pried them away from the wound that Ruby was doing her best to protect. Another stream of blood came down when it was uncovered, the warm liquid dripping down from her chin and seeping into her combat skirt.

 

What was supposed to be Ruby’s right eye was totally mutilated, eyelid and all, as a long gash ran down from just above her eyebrow to her cheek. Weiss did her best not to react to the horrible sight for Ruby’s sake, but the masked horror in those crystal blue eyes spoke volumes.

 

Ruby felt another surge of her friend’s aura course through her. It did nothing to heal the wound, but it at least made the pain somewhat bearable. Weiss reached down and tore strips from her skirt, tying them to create a makeshift bandage. She made 3 in total and wasted no time before bringing it around Ruby’s head, tightening it and effectively covering the wound. The pale blue of the material was quick to turn red.

 

“Are you able to stand?” Weiss asked as she stood before her friend, holding out her hand for her. Her clothes and hands were covered in Ruby’s blood, though it wouldn’t have been the first time.

 

Ruby chewed her lip and tested the question as she took Weiss’ hand and attempted to stand. She barely managed to raise herself before her legs buckled beneath her, black dots dancing at the edges of the little vision she had. Weiss stopped her before she could try again, surprising the younger girl when her friend kicked off her shoes and crouched down with her back to her. It took her a moment to understand what she was doing. Ruby leaned forward onto Weiss’ offered back and wrapped her arms around her neck. As Weiss lifted her, she reached back and pulled Ruby’s legs around her waist. Ruby strained to listen to her as she spoke again.

 

“Jaune... I don’t know if Jaune will be able to heal you. He called me before you got into a fight with Tyrian. Both Ren and Nora were badly injured and he was struggling to use his semblance to heal them both. I...” The ex-heiress choked back a sob and Ruby could feel her hold tighten on her. “Ruby, I’m going to take you away from here. I-I don’t know if I’ll make it in time to save your eye, but I’m not going to let anything else bad happen to you. Anyone who tries to come will have to get through me.”

 

Ruby could only nod as she rested her head on Weiss’ shoulder. Suddenly losing her eye wasn’t a concern for her; If she could escape with at least her life, then she’d be happy. She knew that she’d already lost a lot of blood, feeling herself slipping from consciousness with each passing moment.

 

Weiss’ next words didn’t reach her as the world began to fade. She tried desperately to cling onto the life that was given through the other’s aura, it being the only thing that she could focus on. She didn’t feel apart of everything that began to take place around her, registering only bits and pieces. The ice casing that protected them both shattered upon Weiss’ will and glyphs were displayed before them in a random direction. Ruby could feel the other’s movements as they glided along on top of them, moving at speeds that made even Ruby woozy. From then, everything seemed to be a blur. She saw glimpses of the forest, heard the familiar crunch of snow and was vaguely aware of Weiss crying her name over and over again as she continued to run.

 

When she opened her eye again, she was blinded by fluorescent lights and almost gagged at the smell of Iodoform, sensing that she was in some sort of medical facility. She could make out dark figures looming over her. They recognised that she was awake and tried speaking to her, but their words were incoherent and soon she was gone again.

 

Ruby didn’t know how much time had passed before she woke up once more. When she did, it was with a gasp and her entire body was thrown upwards. Her hands clawed at her own chest and her breathing was desperate, as if she had been deprived of air for a very long time.

 

It took her about 20 minutes to get her body in check, losing track of how times she told herself that it was okay and that she was not about to run out of oxygen anytime soon.

 

With her arms trembling, she achingly pushed herself up against the back of the bed, now breathing slowly to calm her heart that continued to hammer against her chest. She noticed that she was in a room that she had never been in before, struggling to see her surroundings due to the low source of light that only the embers within the fireplace provided. The room itself had a cold feel to it, featuring the colour blue. The walls were hugged by giant book cases, their contents looking as if they hadn’t been touched in years. There were paintings on the walls that had shadows cast over them, making them difficult to see, and what she assumed was a large window had the curtains drawn to obscure any view.

 

Concerned now that she had no idea as to where she was or where her friends had gone and why she was in some unfamiliar place, she raised the blankets to her face and was surprised to find a familiar scent and immediately the wave of panic that was about to take form within her halted. She knew this smell. It was of someone who was very important to her, who she cherished. Someone who she gladly called her best friend and teammate.

 

Someone who risked everything to save her life in the middle of a battlefield.

 

Ruby’s head whipped to the sound of the door opening, tears already forming in her eyes. The door barely had time to open all the way before the covers were thrown off her body, rose petals flying into the air as she pushed past the pain that throbbed in her head and ignored the protest of her muscles as she used a little of her semblance to dash across the room into the arms of Weiss, who she met with a soft ‘oof’ as the two fell to the floor. Ruby hadn’t even noticed the cup of coffee that was thrown to the side, its contents spilling to the floor.

 

“R-Ruby?!” The other girl gasped out and Ruby felt dainty arms secure themselves around her back, fingers catching themselves in the brunette’s hair, pulling her ever so close. Ruby nuzzled her face into Weiss’ neck, not even bothering to suppress the sobs that escaped her. It felt like it was forever since the two were together; Just how long had she been out for?

 

“Weiss, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

 

Weiss’ arms shifted and her hands were now on Ruby’s shoulder, pushing her back to look at her. She too had tears in her eyes. “What are you apologising for, you dolt?”

 

“I-I don’t know, I just... I don’t remember everything that happened... I was injured and then you were there and then you saved me! And you took me away from it all and I think I blacked out?.. I- You must have been so worried. I’m really sorry, Weiss.” She used her own sleeve to wipe her tears away, but only more came to take their place.

 

“Ruby...” Weiss sat up, forcing the other girl to sit on her lap as she pulled her into another hug. “You have absolutely nothing to apologise for. I’m just glad that you’re alive; That you’re safe. If anything, I should be the one apologising.” Ruby could feel Weiss’ body tense up and she continued before she could ask what her friend meant. “We tried to save your eye. I did my best to get you to the top doctors, but I was too late. They... They couldn’t do anything.”

 

The news that she brought was no surprise to Ruby.

 

“It’s not your fault, Weiss.” She said gently and lightly pressed a kiss to the top of her friend’s head. “As you said, I’m alive and safe. That’s all that matters right now.” She gave Weiss a squeeze to reassure her that she was really there. They remained like this for a few minutes in silence, enjoying each other’s embrace until a question popped into Ruby’s head.

 

“How long have I been out for?”

 

“3 weeks.”

 

“3 weeks?!” Ruby repeated in disbelief and winced as a pang of pain shot through her head.”

 

Weiss grimaced slightly, “We were surprised too. Injuries like that are usually easy to recover from, but in this case your aura refused to work as it should. Even when Jaune tried to use his semblance on you, it rejected him. It was only this week did it decide to work on its own again. Qrow and Maria put it down to your Silver Eyes. Since a source of your power was taken away, your body needed time to adjust to what had happened. You put us through a real rollercoaster of emotions, Ruby Rose.”

 

Ruby scratched at the back of her head, processing the information that was given to her. “Jeez, it was really that bad, huh...” She muttered. Her gaze then wandered to the mirror on Weiss’ dresser and she swallowed, beginning to stand. “Is... Is it alright if I see it?”

 

Weiss followed her gaze and got up to stand beside her. She glanced hesitantly back at her. “Are you sure? You don’t need to rush into it so soon, you know.”

 

“I know, but if I’m gonna live with it then I should at least see it first. It’ll make it easier for me to adjust.”

 

Weiss chewed on the inside of her cheek, contemplating whether or not it was a good idea, but the determined look that struck Ruby’s face eased her into thinking that it’d be okay. She nodded wordlessly and walked up to the switch on the wall, flipping it on whilst Ruby stepped up to the dresser, teetering back and forth on her feet in anticipation. She reached back to undo the bandage, but Weiss was already back by her side and helping her. The ex-heiress began to remove layer after layer, hit with an odd sense of nostalgia as she remembered the time when she had to face the damage that was done to her own eye. Oh how she had cried for days...

 

She looked at Ruby in the mirror when she got to the final layer, the younger girl giving a single nod to tell her that she was ready, that she really did want to see. Weiss let out a shaky breath and trusted that her friend knew what she was asking for as she removed the final layer to reveal the sight underneath.

 

A deep reddened scar ran down from Ruby’s right eyebrow to her cheek from where Tyrian had cut her, the scarring on her eyelid jagged from where it had to be sewn back together. She risked opening it just a little, but immediately shut it again once she realised that there was no eye underneath. Her hand came up to prod at the sensitive skin, as if testing if it were real or not. She must of been staring for a worrying amount of time because Weiss had to tap her shoulder just to get her attention again.

 

“Ruby? Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah, I... I’m fine. This is just bizarre is all.” Her voice was a little distant as she began tilting her head at different angles, seeing if it’d make it look any less ugly. It did nothing to change it.

 

She forced herself to tear her gaze away from the mirror and turned around to face Weiss, absentmindedly reaching up to touch the other girl’s scar. “Does it get better?” She asked softly.

 

Weiss blinked in confusion, unsure of what she meant until the tips of Ruby’s fingers brushed gently over her scar. A reassuring smile came to her lips as she reached up and took hold of her partner’s hand, squeezing it gently. “It does... However, I won’t lie. You will find yourself hating it for a long time, trying everything you can to hide it. But with patience you will accept it as a part of you; a reminder of what you’ve survived. It’s something that you’ll learn to love.”

 

Ruby found herself returning the smile as she put trust into her partner’s words. She didn’t let go off her hand as she turned back to the mirror, already trying to acknowledge it as something that she would eventually come to love and pushing back any negative thoughts that came to her mind when she looked at it. She didn’t know what she would do if Weiss wasn’t there with her.

 

“You know Weiss, I think the one who has suffered the greatest loss here is you.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Ruby shot her a cheeky grin in their reflection, continuing, “Because now  _I'm_ the one with the coolest scar in Team RWBY!”

 

Weiss looked at her in disbelief. Did she seriously just?.. Even after being unconscious for 3 weeks, losing an eye and becoming scarred for life, she was still able to say something so, so  _Ruby_. Weiss’ shoulders began to shake and she threw a hand up to her mouth as she laughed. The sound itself was like music to Ruby’s ears. She never knew that she’d miss a sound as much as this one in her life, willing herself not to cry again as she laughed along with her friend.

 

The real trauma of it all would have to wait until later. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a challenge for myself to write longer than I usually do and I'm quite pleased with the result!  
> I'm one of the many who believe that Ruby is going to lose an eye or at least get seriously injured in future volumes, so that's where this came from. I hope that you all enjoyed! ;p 
> 
> Tyrian be ded lol


End file.
